1. Field
This invention relates to a method and system of sewer scanning for monitoring fluids, primarily water being discharged from a building through a series of drains and uncontained flow from drain system failures or accidents. Furthermore, the invention provides for monitoring and control of the fluid or water sources in single or multi-family residential structures to prevent overflow and backup of uncontrolled water discharge.
2. State of the Art
Various systems for monitoring water or fluid flowing in fluid discharge conduits have been proposed to determine flow rates and volumes, and/or to determine backups or overflow of water in the systems.
Alarm systems for sewer lines have been utilized in the past for detecting blockage or backup by use of pressure sensors in the access or clean out sections of sewer lines. The majority of such arrangements determine the currents or some unusual stoppage but fail to identify the location of the particular uncontrolled discharge, such that the problem area can be detected and corrected before substantial problems or damages occur. Most of the monitoring of the water supply to buildings and residential dwellings are usually provided by well known water metering systems, which determine the volume of water entering the structure.
One of the problems in the existing systems of monitoring water discharges from structures is lack of correlation between the water supply to the structure and the volume discharged through drain and sewer lines; thus back up of commodes, sinks, utility room overflows are not detected by input meters or sewer discharge monitors, thus flow onto the bathroom floor from sinks or commodes could go undetected for extended periods of time when the occupants are not present.
Various metering systems for water discharge systems are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,698 issued to Stevens describes a virtual sewer flow monitor that detects flow rate and depth periodically and supplies it to a scatter graph generator and a polynomial curve generator therefore. A filter eliminates polynomial curve corresponding to normal sewer flow and an SSO detector responds to curve portions indicating an overflow to generate an alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,833 issued to Marlowe, et al. teaches a sewer line restriction alarm placed in the clean out which includes a diaphragm which moves in response to the restriction and sets off an alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,950 issued to Tourtillott discloses a sewer blockage alarm having a pressure sensor in the top of a clean out branch section that is connected to a large diameter pressure multiplying pressure bell. This arrangement set off a visual and audible indicator warning of a down stream blockage of a residential plumbing system to avoid a backup into the residence.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,158 issued to Petroff discloses a flow measurement system wherein separately located monitors record synchronized and time identified pressure measurements with pressure-to-signal transducers on the bottom of pipes. A recorder records the pressure each signal and monitor identity which is furnished to a pressure-to-flow computer which provides location identified, time synchronized, flow data for the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,775 issued to Stroud discloses a riser system with an inflatable balloon with a flag. The balloon can be inflated or deflated without removing the sewer cover. The flag rises with the balloon indicating a possible back-up of the sewer line.